Should my next new car be the Honda Civic Hatchback?

You will know after test driving them both...

So it sounds like you want an AUTO Trans?

Really is tough to beat the FEEL of Mazda Skyactiv 6spd Automatic with the paddles and the SPORT mode...

If Mazda, would you get the 2.0L or 2.5L?
 
Where did you heard that Mazda 3 reliability isn't good? Everything I've seen shows it as Good.
 
I like the new Civic turbo model on paper better than the Mazda3. Space, power, quieter. Reliability is a toss up with CVT and a Turbo for the Honda. The Mazda3 likely drives better though.
 
You will know after test driving them both...

So it sounds like you want an AUTO Trans?
Really is tough to beat the FEEL of Mazda Skyactiv 6spd Automatic with the paddles and the SPORT mode...
If Mazda, would you get the 2.0L or 2.5L?

Well, I have driven standard transmissions before. I do mostly city driving, in fact, 99.9% of the time that's the case. I am even thinking that perhaps either of these two cars might be overkill since we typically use my spouse's car any way. So a 2.0 litre for sure. I am getting up there in age so I am really looking for a reliable point A to B car that doesn't cost much.

Where did you heard that Mazda 3 reliability isn't good? Everything I've seen shows it as Good.

I should clarify. The reliability of the 2016 hasn't been very good compared to the Civic according to JD Powers and other sources. In part, it has to do with the infotainment system and door locks from what I understand, while the Civic has been quite steady in reliability. However, I am seeing mixed feedback from owners in respect to the civic's auto transmission.

http://www.autotrader.com/car-reviews/2016-honda-civic-vs-2016-mazda3-which-is-better-252456

I guess you haven't read this comparison article?
http://www.caranddriver.com/compari...16-mazda-3-2016-nissan-sentra-comparison-test

For a quick summary, read the last paragraph on page 6.

As far as reliability goes, the Mazda 3 is right up there with the Civic and Corolla, and well above the Golf, Sentra, Elantra, etc.

I wouldn't even compare either the Civic or Mazda in terms of reliabiltity with with VW. It would never buy a VW regardless of the price.

In terms of Car & Driver, I pretty much dismiss whatever their staff have to say unless it is a negative, much like with Consumer Reports. I feel both have a bias or hidden agenda, especially in how they conduct their surveys.

I find the Mazda3 simply too crampy, inside the cabin they always had road or wind noise issues, especially with the 2014 Mazda3 which I drove several years ago.

I am willing to keep an open mind in terms of selecting the "right car" for me, but as stated above I am leaning on the Civic because it has Apple Carplay plus a better reliability record. It seems to me that Mazda is always lagging far behind the competition in the area of entertainment and driver conveniences.

Whatever make and model I choose, I will shy away from Turbo due to the high cost of repairs. I would like something very reliable. At the same time, I do have a few must haves like blind spot metering system, collision avoidance, and lane assist. A nice to have would be smaller tires and good handling in the snow, something which I have not experienced with Mazdas.
 
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It looks like you are not very concerned with handling performance and steering response/feel. If that is the case, you may be happier with a Toyota Camry - much quieter than a Civic or Mazda3, and very reliable.
As far as Apple Carplay - it is overrated, based upon reviews I have read. There are many features that are available on a cell phone that don't translate to the infotainment system. The Mazda infotainment system is among the best for keeping the driver's attention on the road. Remember, very few, if any compact cars have a heads-up-display that shows not only vehicle speed but also other information like turn symbols (when using NAV) and laser enabled distance retention when using cruise control. I believe Civics do not have a simple volume knob - something that has frustrated magazine reviewers for months now.
By the way, Consumer Reports accepts NO advertising. There is virtually no bias in their data analysis. I've been subscribing for years and have purchased many vehicles with input from this magazine. They have never let me down.

And if you hadn't noticed in Car & Driver's comparison test, the Civic and Mazda3 sound levels are the same.
 
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honestly i would have a hard time choosing between the new models too. they both look good, but the 3 has a little more power in the larger engine and being naturally aspirated means you get no lag to get power its there. i think the 3 has the better interior ergonomics of the 2, but for me the tablet glued to the dash look is kinda a turn off. the hud would be great though. and i know the captains knob for the radio in the newer ones works well, or it does in my dads 2014 6, that has been great for him. he has the older infotainment system and its a little buggy but i have used several of the newer mazda infotainment systems 15+ and they are leaps and bounds better than many out there now. especially chryslers that one is terrible. keep in mind though infotainment systems have been the source of many negative reviews of otherwise great cars these days. remember you can get an aftermarket radio that will be able to out perform the factory one anyways if you dont like it. whats odd is tire noise bothers me but i guess wind noise does not, as i have never really had a car with bad "wind noise" but keep in mind many of the shapes cars are made into now are not the best for wind noise due to being economically designed. also i think mazda's interior quality will beat the honda's long term, same with the paint. i see too many honda with interiors fading out and color coming off or faded and blotchy paint and clearcoat peel paint has always been an issue on hondas since the 90s (i think the 13 up are better but still wary) i think the mechanical parts of the car would both do similarly as they are both companies known for making quality cars, and usually stand behind it.

i also believe mazda 3 has rated at the top in reliability and comfort in its segment since it debuted here in 2004. i have had an 08 and when it got totaled in abad wreck, and i was uninjured after it being dead on reliable i went and got a 2011 because the 08 was that good. the 11 seems to be even better put together and like it will last a long time, its been reliable the 6 months and 9,000 miles i have had it too.
 
either way i think they are both fine cars, again i prefer mazda 3 over civic after seeing/being in and owning several of them, and the mazdas seemed to be just a tick better all around. many civics i have driven or rode in have had bad rattle problems as well, the interiors seemed to fall apart on the 06-10s for some reason (the years i was looking at most recently) and honda had paint recall on the civics from 06-09 in red blue and black for peeling and other issues another point
 
Thanks guys. Interesting info that was shared on the infotainment that it's a major source of frustration among different auto makers. I thought Mazda had the worst, in part because JD Powers specifically mentioned it and because of the ugly console display which I am not a fan of myself. The HUD is cool for sure.

I looked into aftermarket head units and I haven't seen any decent setup that doesn't cost an arm and a leg, plus looking as good as the mediocre sounding OEM versions.

I thought about the Toyota Camry, but it's in a different category altogether and if not mistaken, it carries a hefty price tag which is more along the lines of the Honda Accord.

Handling and performance are not big on my list because from my limited experience, I never was impressed with their handling/responsiveness/feel. I found German cars are better in this area. But VW is out of the question.

In terms of ergonomics, I am almost certain the Mazda3 has been consistently criticized as not having the best, with maybe the exception of the body hugging seats.

I also just realized something else which is on my "must-have" list. Good air conditioning. I recall when the original Mazda3s came out in 2004, their A/C wasn't the best. Toyota, and in particular the Toyota Matrix had lousy air conditioning. I recall this specifically since I was in both cars at that time. I am not sure how the Hondas are.

To add to the indecisiveness, many colleagues at work say be very leary of Honda in terms of their A/C and rotors wearing out prematurely. I find both the Mazda3 and Camry a bit too big for one person and a basic transport vehicle. Perhaps I should consider a Mazda2 or a subcompact?
 
The Scion IA is actually a Mazda 2. I know that Toyota will continue to sell the IA, now that Scion is gone but I am not positive if the name will remain the same. Essentially, the IA is a miniature Mazda 3 and has many of the same safety features.
 
concept, the ia will become the toyota yaris ia and be a toyota that is exactly the same, and to the op i use my 3 as a commuter car and i am by myself in it 90% or more of the time. i get around fine and it is in a bigger car class which gets you more trunk/hatch space and more roomy interiors, mine is a 2011 GT hatchback and it carries all i need and much more will fit, 5 can sit 4 adults very comfortably 5 in a pinch. you may end up regretting a small sub compact especially a sedan version as they have tiny back seats and hardly any trunk. the yaris ia (mazda 2 renamed) is probably the best one (the fiesta st has kick) but i dont fit in a fiesta at all and im just a few cm short of 6 foot. with the seat all the way back my knees hit the dash and i can barely get my feet down to the pedals because of this, in a wreck knees already dug into a dash is just asking for trouble. think about your current car, how often do you use the trunk capacity to great extent and how much of a pain would a trunk that holds barely more than 5-6 grocery sacks be? also think about co workers wanting to tag along for lunch sometime, would 2-4 people actually be fine in a car that small, probably not, had a friend with a mitsubishi mirage (little, loud and slow) i COULD NOT fit in the back seat without my head hitting the headliner. if you do go tiny car like that get a hatch version or the rebadged mazda 2 sedan as they offer the better value with more cargo space, just keep in mind also many only get marginally if any better mpg then the mazda 3 does and offer a smaller less useful package that many complain about lack of power when needed on the freeway. if you only sampled a 3 sedan sample the hatch before deciding, yes it costs more but you get efficiency and a reliable car with a good sized storage area to boot, this may come in handy in a pinch such as that new tv you want, in a fiesta, no a 39"+ wont fit my 3 could easily fit a 50" tv with the back seats down probably more. do i use the extra hatch space all the time? no, is it nice when needed, very much so. if the 3 hatch does not float your boat try the cx3 crossover its based on the 2 but bigger and may offer a good balance of what you need, the cx5 maybe worth a look as well its a 3 based crossover. the hrv from honda maybe worth a look as well.
 
kms1990, have you heard of paragraphs?? (crazy)

From what I understand, the OP wants to buy something more affordable and smaller in size because she doesn't drive much. We all have different needs. Just because we want or like something doesn't mean the next person does. The Camry, Accord, CRV or CX_ are a heckuva lot more money then the Mazda2. As far as fuel mileage goes? Don't get fooled into thinking you're saving money like hybrid and diesel owners do. It will take a long time to break-even. The extra savings in buying a smaller vehicle buys a a sheet loud more gas. Maintenance will usually be cheaper like brakes, new tires, etc.

If I were the OP, I would look at the Corolla and skip the Civic. The Yaris/Mazda2 seems too small and looks like a death trap.
 
...looks like a death trap.
That's kinda funny, as I drove multiple RX3s (2000 lbs) and now an MX5 Miata for many years, (both of which were smaller and lighter than the Scion IA/Mazda 2) and never did I feel unsafe. The (now) Yaris IA averages 35 MPG.
 
The new April 2017 Consumer Reports Annual issue also lists the 2016 Mazda 3 as a car to avoid. In fact, along with the '07 Mazda 5, it's the only Mazda from the past decade or so to avoid, according to Consumer Reports. The odd part--and why I'm checking here is that, aside from the infotainment system, the 2016 Mazda 3 gets positive to very positive marks--every category is yellow and most all are green. But then it gets an orange in terms of overall score/reliability. Any clues on as to why? Thank you.
 
Have you looked at the Mirage hatch/G4? They have crapple carplay and android auto 45mpg easy and low price with a 10/100000 mi warranty
 
CR dinged it more severely because it is so new. Their thought is that a new car should not have anything wrong with any function. Both the 2016 Civic and Mazda3 have enfotainment dings, whereas the Civic also has a ding or two in other categories.

To the person who is contemplating a new Mazda3 purchase, look at the overall rating for the 2014 and 2015s. Really, there was no significant change among the 2014-2016 Mazda3s.
 
CR dinged it more severely because it is so new. Their thought is that a new car should not have anything wrong with any function. Both the 2016 Civic and Mazda3 have enfotainment dings, whereas the Civic also has a ding or two in other categories.

To the person who is contemplating a new Mazda3 purchase, look at the overall rating for the 2014 and 2015s. Really, there was no significant change among the 2014-2016 Mazda3s.
I agree with CR's rating if that's part of their methodology.

Yes, there has not been any significant changes in the 14-16's Mazdas. In part, this is why I am looking elsewhere.

Just today, I was at a Mazda dealership getting my Mazda service. Out of boredom, I sat in a 2017 GS sport model hatch. I noticed a few things. The infotainment display is not not such an eye sore. It looks now deeper inside the console. The USB port and Aux jack is now in the lower centre console (a good thing) but the centre armrest compartment had just one DC outlet. Next to it, looks like a punch out for another DC outlet. Not sure why Mazda did this because it is a waste of space imo. I think two [working] DC outlets should be standard in a vehicle. If not two in the console area then one in the trunk...like VW has. To me this seems logical.

Have you looked at the Mirage hatch/G4? They have crapple carplay and android auto 45mpg easy and low price with a 10/100000 mi warranty
Mitsubishi? Hmm. I don't think it has a very good resale value. It also looks way too ugly for my tastes. lol.
 
I too looked at the Honda hatch, it would be great for someone who is Ronnie racer, loves cheap plastic, likes to use premium gasoline to achieve same horse power as Maszda 3 2.5. biggest downer for me, its a Honda. I'm an old fart, I remember when Honda meant quality but now....I have had 5 Mazdas over the years and as many Hondas. The Mazdas, hands down beat the Hondas,. might be just my experience but I stand by it. The Honda is like a crotch rocket reincarnated as a car, I simply don't like the way it looks. My mid 2017S GT is awesome, its a cut above any Honda in my opinion. but hey, opinions are like backsides, everyone has them and they all smell. Also, Mazda is till made in Japan, thats quality in my books. BTW, consumer Reports went for the Mazda and recommended it, only the Honda Fit got a similar vote.
 
Get the Mazda3 since it doesn't have a cvt which should be banned from all cars. If the civic had a real geared auto then it would be hard for me to pick. I too was thinking of these 2 cars but the cvt killed its chances for me ever owning a civic hatch, I even test drove it and didn't like it. A few other things that civic doesn't have are homelink garage opener and blind spot monitoring, instead Honda gives it their stupid lanewatch camera which if hit/broken will cost more that a normal side mirror would. However if cargo space is a priority get the civic, it's the only thing I wished Mazda improved on.

However if you don't mind it, Civic hatch sport/touring drives as great as the Mazda
 
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